It is strange (or perhaps not strange) that there is a thread claiming the game is over sexualized when there appears to be no discussion as to whether the game is too violent or too morally indifferent etc etc.
I suspect this thread has more to do with the well known sexual anxiety of a certain culture that has always been more comfortable with violence than sexuality.
Just sort of spitballing off the top of my head because I haven't given this much thought, but I think it might come down to the idea that violence, as abhorrent as it may be in some situations, can also be used for good. It's a necessary thing. The good must battle the evil and more importantly, it must be seen to help inspire more acts of good.
As opposed to sexuality. Sex can certainly be good, of course. It's what keeps humanity progressing. But it doesn't need to be seen because it's a private matter. Taken to excess, especially outside of a private lens, it becomes and inspires lust which is typically unhealthy for civilization.
Well setting aside for a moment this is a solo game and thus private (obviously multiplayer can decide what's appropriate for their game) isn't the "private matter" solved with the nudity settings? I've never viewed the sex scenes with nudity off so I've no idea what happens. Are they simply skipped or do they still play out only the characters are clothed?
You did make a point in some other thread (if I understood correctly) about it being nice to be able to befriend Gale without there being the feeling it was going to lead to a romantic branch. I totally get this and feel the game does seem to run hot or cold in regards to relationships. In other words its hard in the game to form 'just friends". Choices that lead to companion approval seem to always lead to an intimate offer eventually. I always turn Gale down with the magic invitation because of this. It leads to a "Gale disapproves" Maybe there should have been specific triggers initiated by the player to indicate interest etc. I understand these objections to the sex/romance system much better than the ones that complain about nudity since one can always filter it out.
I think the developers were concerned with making romance too hard and that players would be disappointed in not being able to romance their choices. Many threads/posts on here seem to bear this out as we have seen many requests for romance options that even the developers didn't see fit to offer. The various Astarion threads take this to a whole other level player expectations not being met going so far as to critique or object to facial expressions. So to please players they made romance relatively easy but in doing so I think they missed out on the "fellowship" so evident in many of our most cherished fantasy yarns. Maybe they indulged players too much and created a "when everyone's super no one will be" system of romance.
Maybe for some people it isn't a case of being uncomfortable with sex, but rather being uncomfortable with unwanted advances.
